Martin McCabe, West Sussex County Councillor for Worthing West, has written to Southern Water’s chief executive following the incident, which has led to the emergency road closure of Alinora Crescent in Worthing today (May 18).
The closure has been put in place under a Section 14(2) notice, to allow for urgent works following reports of a foul sewage line entering the surface water network and causing spillages into local bathing waters.
Cllr McCabe said: “This is clearly a matter of significant concern in terms of environmental impact, public health, and the disruption caused to local residents.
“Residents in Worthing will be rightly alarmed that this incident has required emergency intervention due to foul water entering the system and affecting local bathing waters.
“I am seeking urgent clarity from Southern Water on what has failed, how long the system was compromised, what monitoring has taken place, and whether this is linked to wider infrastructure issues in the area.
“People deserve transparency, accountability, and confidence that lessons will be learned to prevent this happening again.”
He added that repeated sewage incidents across Sussex highlighted the need for improved accountability and long-term investment in the region’s water infrastructure.
Cllr McCabe has requested details on the cause of the failure, how long the system was compromised, what monitoring was carried out, and whether broader infrastructure problems played a role.
He has also asked what immediate steps are being taken to address the issue, and whether long-term maintenance or investment shortcomings were a contributing factor.
A closure notice for Alinora Crescent suggests that the emergency closure will be in place 24 hours a day, with the works set to be completed on May 24.
Southern Water has been approached for comment.
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